So what's the way to deal with a parked bus?

[JohnDoe]

Bribe/influence referees.

[murder_inc]

Bribe/influence referees.

ahh, the old fergie one two trick then hey. Sneaky, very sneaky sir. I like it, and will send an email immediatly to the King to let him know.

[Kronenburg1892]

Patience is the key to all of this. Yes pace, passing and width are also important, but you pass it across the back and around midfield for ages until players get hungry for the ball and they come to close you down and then you attack.

Only the super disciplined defensive teams will stay in positions and not get drawn to the ball after a couple of minutes.

Only patient teams can matintain possession without hitting it long in hope after a while.

This I agree with. I think you can make space for players to exploit especially when a counter attack breaks down against a team determined to get 10 behind the ball in their third. You still need players to take people out of position and others to beat their man. Pulling play back as a training exercise lets others on your team work on ways to exploit any gaps in the defence.

I don't think it's enough to rely on two or three key players to break a disciplined defence through skill alone.

When this tactic is done well, it's actually quite stunning to watch. It's not just that the Barca players are extremely good, it's what they do to the defence that's probably more impressive. A lot of this is worked on in training.

Of course it helps to have good players, but I think that's just half the story. 40% can be done with chalk on a black board.

[Red Wino]

From the great Bill Shankly after a 0-0 draw at Anfield: "What can you do playing against 11 goalposts?"

[Needles]

Ball retention
Good movement off the ball
Switching the play (in 1 or 2 passes)
One touch football

All of these will stretch the opponents defence and create holes in which can be played through balls, crosses and scoring opportunities.

Simple really - just like how the game should be played!

[little dave hedgehog]

explosives. tanks.

[wiw]

Not conceding ****ty soft goals helps. At Anfield you almost expect it but not away..says a lot about us really. We have the confidence to keep the ball but haven't gelled enough as a team to relax and bide our time safe in the knowledge a goal is coming just yet

[The Erectile Banana]

explosives. tanks.

I was just about to post something similar.



Some type of Keanu Reeves lookalike may also help.

[little dave hedgehog]

would be nice if our players knew how to weld together several cars, trucks or vans and mount a homemade flame thrower on top and then drive it in from the midfield, scattering players before them, and saving the destitute townspeople of wherever they happen to be. i reckon we'd need a winger though.

[The Erectile Banana]

Certainly sounds like more fun than a game of cricket.

We could call them The L Team.

With Kenny as Hannibal
Spearing as Face
Suarez as Mad Murdoch
and
Carra as BA Baracus.


I agree that we'll never reach #19 if we don't improve on our welding skills. I mean, look at what happened against Stoke. Still need a winger aswell.

[little dave hedgehog]

because the winger would help to facilitate the welding.

[Neil Young]

The only problem is out-and-out welders are a dying breed.

These days they mostly cut in and that's the opposite of welding.

[The Erectile Banana]

Obviously.



It always puzzles me when others can't see this.

[little dave hedgehog]

a pair of out and out welders is of paramount importance.

[Neil Young]

If we had two welders we'd be nailed on for the title.